lychee

noun

ly·​chee ˈlē-(ˌ)chē  ˈlī- 

variants or litchi or less commonly lichee

1

or lychee nut or litchi nut or less commonly lichee nut : the small, oval to roundish fruit of a Chinese tree (Litchi chinensis) of the soapberry family having a rough or warty, yellow, pink, or reddish leathery rind and sweet to slightly acidic usually whitish edible flesh that surrounds a single large seed

Note: The lychee, grown commercially in tropical and subtropical regions, is a type of fruit called a drupe, and its edible flesh is the fruit's aril.

2

: a slow-growing tree that bears lychees and has glossy, leathery leaves and terminal clusters of tiny, apetalous, greenish-white to yellow flowers

Examples of lychee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The fragrance also has enriching notes of fruity lychee and Sicilian grapefruit. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 16 June 2026

At Americana Kitchen at Loews Coral Gables Hotel, Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia Cristalino shaken with lychee, rhubarb, St-Germain, bianco vermouth and lemon, then clarified through a milk wash for a silky finish. —Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026

The combination of dewy rose, bergamot, and lychee lends a vibrant, feminine sweetness that is so signature-scent worthy. —Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 10 June 2026

The outdoor deck has ringside seats to view the waterfront at sunset, with an ice-cold lychee martini in hand. —Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Chinese (Beijing) lìzhī

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

lychee

noun

ly·​chee

variants or litchi also lichee

ˈlē-(ˌ)chē, 

ˈlī-

1

: the oval fruit of a Chinese tree related to the soapberries and having a hard reddish outer covering and sweet whitish edible flesh surrounding a single large seed

called also lychee nut

2

: a tree bearing lychees

Etymology

from Chinese lìzhī "lychee"